WERA1010: Improving Data Quality from Sample Surveys to foster Agricultural and Community Development in Rural America

(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)

Status: Inactive/Terminating

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SAES-422 Reports

Annual/Termination Reports:

[04/22/2019] [03/23/2020] [03/29/2021] [04/11/2022] [06/07/2023]

Date of Annual Report: 04/22/2019

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 02/21/2019 - 02/22/2019
Period the Report Covers: 02/23/2018 - 02/22/2019

Participants

Don Dillman - Washington State University
Bunny Willits - Penn State University
Katie Dentzman - Washington State University
Zhengyuan Zhu - Iowa State University
Hua Quin - University of Missouri
Kenny Wallen - Texas A&M
Jason McKibben - West Virginia University
Ashley Yopp - University of Georgia
Ginny Lesser - Oregon State University
Jessica Ulrich-Schad - Utah State University
Todd Rockwood - University of Minnesota
Melissa Constantine - University of Minnesota
Glenn Israel - University of Florida
Steve Swinford - Montana State University
Chris Clemens - Auburn University of Minnesota

Brief Summary of Minutes

Minutes Attachment:

WERA1010_2019.pdf

Accomplishments

Activities Glenn Israel, University of Florida Starting in 2013, I worked with several graduate students to create the Savvy Survey Series in the EDIS publication management system to provide accessible and useful information for conducting surveys for evaluation and program planning. To date, 20 publications have been written, peer-reviewed and posted online. I also have worked to update the series over the last several years and it has become increasing popular, with a total of 46,350 EDIS views since 2013 (17,737 in 2018). Publications in this series are used in AEC 6767, 6552, and 6932, in sessions of the Extension Faculty Development Academy, and by colleagues in several states.   Israel, G. D. Wait, What? Lessons Learned from Conducting Concurrent Surveys Using an Online Opt-in Panel and a Mail Address-Based Sample. Poster presented at the 73th annual conference of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, Denver, CO, May, 2018.     Jessica Ulrich-Schad, South Dakota Sate university October, 2018.  “Utilizing the Social Indicator Planning & Evaluation System (SIPES) to Assess Conservation Outreach and Practices” (Webinar).  The Nature Conservancy.   March, 2018.   “Using Surveys to Evaluate the Effectiveness of an Event.”  Advanced Events and Facilities Administration class, South Dakota State University; Brookings, SD.      Don Dillman, Washington State University   Dillman, D., West Ed, San Francisco, CA, United States of America. (November 6, 2018).   Dillman, D., "How Web-Push Surveys are Changing Survey Methodology," NatCen/ESS/City University Methods Seminar, City University, London, England. (October 11, 2018) . Dillman, D., "The Challenge of conducting effective web-push surveys," Kantar Public, London. (October 10, 2018).   Dillman, D., Invitational Research Meeting on Maximizing Response Rates and the Representativeness of CAHPS (Consumer Assessments of Health Provider Services) Survey Data, "Rethinking CAHPS Surveys for Today's Mixed-Mode Data Collection Environment," Rockville, United States of America. (September 17, 2018). <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agency_for_Healthcare_Research_and_Quality" data-auth="NotApplicable">Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality</a> (AHRQ)   Dillman, D., Workshop on Improving Household and Business Survey Respondent Engagement, "Part 1.Improving Survey Response through use of web-push methods," Australian Bureau of Statistics, Melbourne, Australia. (August 28, 2018).   Dillman, D., Workshop on Improving Household and Business Survey Respondent Engagement, "Part 2. The Communication Challenge of Conducting Web-Push Surveys," Australian Bureau of Statistics, Melbourne. (August 28, 2018).   Dillman, D., Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM), "The Communication Challenge of Creating Better Web-Push Surveys of the General Public," American Statistical Association, Vancouver. (July 30, 2018).   Dillman, D., "The World-wide Challenge of Developing and Using Web-Push methods for Household Surveys," GESIS (Survey Methods Institute) and Manheim University, Mannheim. (June 4, 2018).

Publications

Qin, H., E. Bent, C. Brock, Y. Dguidegue, E. Achuff, M. Hatcher, and O. Ojewola. 2018. Fifteen years after the Bellingham ISSRM: An empirical evaluation of Frederick Buttel’s differentiating criteria for environmental and resource sociology. Rural Sociology 83(1): 6–23. Ulrich-Schad, J. D. and H. Qin. 2018. Culture clash? Predictors of views on amenity-led development and community involvement in rural recreation counties. Rural Sociology 83(1): 81–108. Qin, H., E. Prentice, and K. Freeman. 2018. Analyzing partially correlated longitudinal data in community survey research. Society & Natural Resources 31(1): 142–149. Prentice, E., H. Qin, and C. G. Flint. 2018. Mountain pine beetles and ecological imaginaries: The social construction of forest insect disturbance. Pp. 77–107 in J. Urquhart, C. Potter, and M. Marzano (eds.) Human Dimensions in Forest and Tree Health. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Singh, Ajay S., Brian MacGowan, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, Michael O’Donnell, Heidi Klotz*, and Linda S. Prokopy.   2018.  “The influence of demonstration sites and field days on conservation practices adoption.” Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 73(3): 274-281.   Brock, Caroline, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, and Linda S. Prokopy.  2018. " Bridging the Divide: Challenges and Opportunities for Public Sector Agricultural Professionals Working with Amish and Mennonite Producers on Conservation." Environmental Management.  61(5): 756-771.   Ulrich-Schad, Jessica D. and Cynthia M. Duncan.  2018.  “People and Places Left Behind: Work, Culture and Politics in the Rural United States.”  Special Issue on Emancipatory Rural Politics in The Journal of Peasant Studies 45(1):  59-79.   Floress, Kristin, Adam Reimer, Aaron Thompson, Marc Burbach, Cody Knutsen, Linda Prokopy, Mark Ribaudo, and Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad.   2018. “Measuring Farmer Conservation Behaviors: Challenges and Best Practices.”  Land Use Policy 70: 414-418.    Smyth, J. D., Israel, G. D., Newberry, III, M. G., & Hull, R. G. 2019. Effects of Stem and Response Order on Response Patterns in Satisfaction Rating. Field Methods, 31.

Impact Statements

Date of Annual Report: 03/23/2020

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 02/20/2020 - 02/21/2020
Period the Report Covers: 02/15/2019 - 02/21/2020

Participants

• Steve Swinford – Montana State
• Ginny Lesser – Oregon State
• Glenn Israel – Florida
• Zhengyuan Zhu - Iowa State
• Kara Lyn Haberstock – Arizona
• Jessica Goldberger – Washington State
• Jessica Schad – Utah State
• Yanu Prasetyo – University of Missouri
• Chris Clemmons – Auburn
• Ashley Yopp—University of Georgia at Tifton - Friday
• Jason McKibben – West Virginia
• Carena VanRiper - University of Illinois
• Kenny Wallen - University of Idaho
• Todd Rockwood - University of Minnesota
• Shorna Allred – Cornell
• Katie Dentzman – University of Idaho
• Anton Beckerman - Montana State
• Don Dillman – Washington State
• Melissa Constantine - University of Minnesota

Brief Summary of Minutes

Minutes Attachment:

WERA 1010_minutesfrom 2020.docx

Accomplishments

Publications

Revised Savvy Survey Series pubs: 7 were recently reviewed and updated in 2019: The Savvy Survey #1: Introduction The Savvy Survey #2: Using Surveys in Everyday Extension Programming The Savvy Survey #3: Successful Sampling The Savvy Survey #4: Details in the Design The Savvy Survey #5: The process for Developing Survey Questions The Savvy Survey #11: Mail-Based Surveys The Savvy Survey #13: Online Surveys   Publications: Refereed articles published in 2019: Smyth, J. D., Israel, G. D., Newberry, III, M. G., & Hull, R. G. 2019. Effects of Stem and Response Order on Response Patterns in Satisfaction Rating. Field Methods, 31(3), 260-276. <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1177_1525822X19860648&d=DwMGaQ&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=yYvMKQp_k_L4vgAAQ-Bf8g&m=nSsevXtTJO8OJThIQNB7C1K0IG6x6PV-kCEHVJH9XlE&s=G2Rp4WOVYygWuAwwJ9M1Aw3yrW_uUlUhntc0LtpyyvE&e=">https://doi.org/10.1177/1525822X19860648</a> Refereed articles accepted in 2019: Israel, G. D., Sari, H. I., Duffy, N. O., Galindo-Gonzalez, S., Diehl, D. C., Abarca Orozco, S., Garcia, E., & Sweeney, L. H. 2020. Improving Self-report Measurements to Capture Behavior Change of Low-Income Children. Journal of Human Sciences and Extension. Accepted November 2019. Reviewed, invited, and other papers and posters presented at conferences in 2019: Israel, G. D., & Kumar Chaudhary, A. Can Clarifying Instructions Influence Response to Numeric Open-ended Questions in Self-administered Surveys. Paper presented at the 74th annual conference of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, Toronto, Canada, May, 2019. Israel, G. D. Lessons Learned from Conducting Concurrent Surveys Using an Online Opt-in Quota Sample and a Mail/Mixed-Mode Address-Based Sample. Paper presented at the meeting of the European Survey Research Association, Zagreb, Croatia, July, 2019. Willits, F. K., Theodori, G. L., Wallen, K. E., & Israel, G. D. Effects of Follow-Up Contacts on Sample Characteristics and Sustantive Research Findings in Social Surveys: An Exploratory Analysis. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Rural Sociological Society, Richmond, VA, August, 2019. Mike, M., Israel, G. D., & Bowden, Z. So Who’s Talking Climate Change?: A Unianova analysis on the Social communication index. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Rural Sociological Society, Richmond, VA, August, 2019. Mike, M. R., & Israel, G. D. A Regression on a Social Communication Index to Determine Climate Change Communication. Presentation at the annual meeting of the Southern Rural Sociological Association, Birmingham, AL, February, 2019. Swain, M. J., & Israel, G. D. The Role of Academic and Governmental Partners in School Wellness across Florida. Presentation at the annual meeting of the Southern Rural Sociological Association, Birmingham, AL, February, 2019.

Impact Statements

Starting in 2013, I worked with several graduate students to create the Savvy Survey Series in the EDIS publication management system to provide accessible and useful information for conducting surveys for evaluation and program planning. To date, 20 publications have been written, peer-reviewed and posted online. I also have worked to update the series over the last several years and it has become increasing popular, with a total of 58,599 EDIS views since 2013 (12,249 in 2019). Publications in this series are used in AEC 6767, 6552, and 6932, in sessions of the Extension Faculty Development Academy, and by colleagues in several states.

Date of Annual Report: 03/29/2021

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 02/18/2021 - 02/19/2021
Period the Report Covers: 02/14/2020 - 02/19/2021

Participants

Abbey Hammell – University of Minnesota
Billy McKim – Texas A&M University
Brook Thiel – North Dakota State University
Courtney Flint – Utah State University
Don Dillman – Washington State University
Edem Avemegah – Utah State University
Michele Walsh – University of Arizona
Ginny Lesser Oregon State University
Glenn Israel – University of Florida
Hua Qin – University of Missouri
Jason McKibben – Auburn University
Jessica Goldberger - Washington State University
Jessica Schad - Utah State University
Kenny Wallen – University of Idaho
Melissa Constantine – University of Minnesota
Steve Swinford – Montana State University
Todd Rockwood - University of Minnesota
Vicki McCracken - Washington State University
Zhengyuan Zhu – Iowa State University

Brief Summary of Minutes

Minutes Attachment:

2021 WERA Meeting Notes.pdf

Accomplishments

Publications

Impact Statements

Date of Annual Report: 04/11/2022

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 02/17/2022 - 02/19/2022
Period the Report Covers: 03/01/2021 - 03/01/2022

Participants

o Steve Swinford, Chair, Montana State University
o Don Dillman, Washington State University
o Ginny Lesser, Oregon State University
o Rachel Gildersleeve, University of Arizona
o Terrace Ewinghill, University of Arizona
o Rachel Leih, University of Arizona
o Michele Walsh, University of Arizona
o Jessica Schad, Utah State University
o Todd Rockwood, University of Minnesota
o Melissa Constantine, University of Minnesota
o Glenn Israel, University of Florida
o Anil Chaudhary, Penn State University
o Katherine Dentzman, Iowa State University

Brief Summary of Minutes

Minutes Attachment:

2022 WERA 1010_Minutes.docx

Accomplishments

Group: Diffusion of Web-Push Survey Methods Collaborative research conducted on web-push survey methods (detailed in minutes). This is central to the work of many participants and will continue to be a central point of cross-state collaborative efforts.   Utah specific: Extension and application of research result: Wang, Tong, Jim Ristau, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, and Heidi L. Sieverding.  “South Dakota Farm Survey White Paper Series.” <a href="https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/sdfarmsurvey/">https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/sdfarmsurvey/</a>.                                                                                Outreach activities: 2022 “Ranchers’ Use of Livestock Pest Products.”  South Dakota Ranchers’ Workshop; White River, SD.   2021 “Conducting Sociological Research in Rural Communities” (Webinar).  Rural Research Panel, Rural & Underserved Utah Training Experience (RUUTE) Program at the University of Utah School of Medicine. Florida specific: <ol> <li>Instructions in questions</li> </ol> An extension of the experiments from 2015-16, and 2018 was implemented in 2019 and repeated in 2020 to increase the treatment sample size. The new experiment was a 2x2 factorial design testing question format (open- vs closed-ended) and clarifying instructions (yes vs no) on numerical behavior questions to assess effects on item response rates and item distributions. A paper has been partially drafted. <ol start="2"> <li>Qualtrics panels and ABS surveys on Climate Change</li> </ol>   During the past year, I revised a manuscript summarizing the methodological findings of the study, which was presented at ESRA in 2019. I continued collaborating on a second manuscript addressing the topic of interpersonal communication about climate change and a third examining the relationships among religious identification (with a focus on Christian evangelicals), religiosity, political affiliation and climate change knowledge, belief, and risk perceptions. Two papers are being revised.   <ol start="3"> <li>Comparison of communication protocols for the FCES Client Experience Survey</li> </ol>   I developed a series of three experiment to compare the standard survey protocol with one involving an organizational leader (who stresses the importance of the survey and provides legitimation) in the communication messages. Study 1 (conducted in 2020) tested replacing emails from the survey director with ones from the FCES Director along with adjustments to the timing of the contacts. No significant differences in the final response rate were found. Study 2 added a link to the survey in the email messages from the FCES Director and re-ordered the contacts of the survey director and the FCES director for the treatment. Again, no significant differences were found in the final response rate. Finally, study 3 revised the number and timing of the contacts in the protocol involving the FCES Director. In this study, the early bump in the response rate from the FCES Director’s email with the survey link occurred and this advantage was maintained through the remainder of contacts (which mirrored the standard protocol). This result was marginally significant.   <ol start="4"> <li>Tests of protocols using an address-based sample for a survey on contentious issues</li> </ol>   I have also been involved in a collaboration for a study on the intersection of climate change and religion. This has involved a large-scale survey “the American Opinion Survey on the Environment and Religion” in 4 political swing states (FL, AZ, MI, and PA). This is primarily a mail survey using an address-based sample (n=6,000) with embedded pilot tests using a web-push protocol. Survey design, supply procurement, and data collection were started in 2021 and data collection will be completed in 2022. I anticipate multiple publications will be developed from this study.

Publications

Research publications: Ulrich-Schad, Jessica D., Paul M. Jakus, Malieka Bordigioni, and Don Albrecht. 2022. “Preferences for Economic and Environmental Goals in Rural Community Development in the Western United States.” Rural Sociology. DOI: 10.1111/ruso.12429.   Ulrich-Schad, Jessica D., Jennifer E. Givens, and Mitchell Beacham.*  2022. “Preventive Behaviors Along the Rural-Urban Continuum in Utah During the COVID-19 Pandemic.”  Journal of Rural Social Science Special Issue on Space, Place, and COVID-19.    Ulrich-Schad, Jessica D., Shuang Li, A. Joshua Leffler, Wei Gu**, Lealand Schoon, and Lora Perkins. 2021. “What and Why: South Dakota Rangeland Livestock Producers’ Usage of Parasiticides.” Rangeland Ecology and Management 79:190-200.   Wang, Tong, Zheng Xu, Deepthi Kolady, and Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, and David E. Clay.  2021.  “Cover Crops Usage in South Dakota: Perceived Profitability and Future Adoption Decisions.”  Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics 46(2): 287-307.   Saak, Alexander E., Tong Wang, Zheng Xu, Deepthi Kolady, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, and David E. Clay.  2021. “Duration of Usage and Farmer Reported Benefits of Conservation Tillage.” Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 71(1): 65-75.     Israel, G. D., Gariton, C. E., & James, H. E. (forthcoming). Anxiety Symptoms among Extension Professionals' During the COVID-19 Pandemic with the GAD-2. Journal of Rural Social Sciences. Revision submitted and accepted, October 2021. Israel, G. D. Lessons Learned from Conducting Concurrent Surveys Using an Online Opt-in Quota Sample and a Mail/Mixed-Mode Address-Based Sample. Rural Sociology, Submitted; current status: author revising. Lowe, B. E., Israel, G. D., & Paudyal, R.  The Influence of Evangelical Religion and Politics on Climate Change Perceptions in Florida. Society and Natural Resources, Submitted January 2021, Revision submitted July 2021; 2nd revision underway. Harder, A. M., Craig, D. D., Israel, G. D., Benge, M. P., & Caillouet, O. C. Using a Statewide Needs Assessment to Prioritize UF/IFAS Extension’s Programmatic Efforts. Journal of Extension, revision submitted. Mike, M., & Israel, G. D. Factors affecting interpersonal communication on climate change in Florida: A quantile regression approach. American Journal of Climate Change, Submitted and authors revising. Diehl, D. C., Nelson, J. D., Israel, G. D., & Galindo, S. Changes in Work-Life Balance during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Insights from a Survey of Extension Professionals. Journal of Extension, paper in preparation. Gariton, C. E., & Israel, G. D. 2021. The Savvy Survey #6e: Understanding How Question Type Impacts Future Analysis. AEC719, 4 pp. Gainesville: UF/IFAS. Available at: <a href="https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pd083">https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pd083</a> Gariton, C. E., & Israel, G. D. 2021. The Savvy Survey #9: Gaining Institutional Review Board Approval for Surveys. AEC730, 4 pp. Available at: <a href="https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-PD84-2021">https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-PD84-2021</a> Cotter, M. L., & Israel, G. D. 2021. Client Satisfaction, Perceived Service Quality and Benefits from Extension’s Information. AEC735, 5 pp. Available at: <a href="https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/WC396">https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/WC396</a>. <a href="https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-WC396-2021">https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-WC396-2021</a> Israel, G. D., James, H. E., & Gariton, C. E. Anxiety disorders among Extension Professionals' during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Paper presented at the virtual annual meeting of the Southern Rural Sociological Association, February 2021. Israel, G. D. When Does Support from Authoritative Figures Improve Survey Response Rates? Paper presented at the virtual annual meeting of the Southern Rural Sociological Association, February 2021.

Impact Statements

Florida: Starting in 2013, I worked with several graduate students to create the Savvy Survey Series in EDIS publication management system to provide accessible and useful information for conducting surveys for evaluation and program planning. To date, 20 publications have been written, peer-reviewed and posted online. I also have worked to update the series over the last several years and it has become increasing popular, with a total of 93,094 EDIS views since 2013 (21,014 in 2021). Publications in this series are used in AEC 6767, 6552, and 6932, in sessions of the Extension Faculty Development Academy, and by colleagues in several states, including Dr. Wallen (University of Idaho) and Dr. Van Riper (University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign). Recently, Maia McGuire, Associate Program Leader for Sea Grant, reported “Just wanted to share that Florida Sea Grant has a TEAMS employee who is surveying marinas for a Sea Grant effort--she asked me for suggested resources that she could use to improve her survey design skills and I suggested the Savvy Survey Series. She read through the entire series and reported that she found it extremely helpful. She also said that she had made some tweaks to the survey and her methods as a result.”

Date of Annual Report: 06/07/2023

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 02/16/2023 - 02/17/2023
Period the Report Covers: 02/16/2023 - 02/17/2023

Participants

Dillman, Don – Washington State University
Qin, Hua – University of Missouri
Israel,Glenn - University of Florida
Virginia Lesser _ Oregon State University
Todd Rockwood – University of Minnesota
Constantine, Melissa
Dentzman, Katie – Iowa State University
Swinford, Steve – Montana State University
Zhengyuan, Zhu – Iowa State University
Rachel Leih - University of Arizona
Terrace Ewinghill - University of Arizona
Madeline DeBlois - University of Arizona